Metal wheel



- 0d. 16, 1923. f www2 E. IBACH METAL WHEEL Filed May 12 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

T -IL E. IBACH METAL WHEEL 'A TTORNEY Patented @et 16, 1923A.

"UNTTED STATES TENT OFFICE.

i EMILA IBACH, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSINOR, BY MFSNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 BUDD WHEEL COMPANY, 0F PHILADELPHIA., PENNSYLVANIA', A COR- PORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

' METAL WHEEL.

, Application filed May 12,

To all whom t may concer/'1b.'

Be it known that I, EMIL vIEAGH residing at Phnadei his., in the County of ihnadei. phia and tate of Pennsylvania, have ivented certain new and useful Improvements. in Metal Wheels, of which I declare the following to be a full, eIear, and exact description. E

This invention relates to meta-l wheels and the process of making the same, and particularly to the type of wheel which is made up of a plurality of metal di/scs suitably connected together. g

VOne object of the invention is to provide a wheel of this character, which is of novel construction and provides a wheel structure, which is eificient, strong, durable, economical of manufacture, and easily assembled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a metal wheel made up of a plurality of sheet metal discs secured together in a vnovel manner, and provided with means for suitably supporting a wheel rim thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide anew and improved process for manufacturing Ametal wheels.

` Further objects of the invention rela-te to economies of manufacture and details of construction as will hereinafter appear from the detailed description to follow. y

The objects of the invention are accomplished in one instance by the devices and means described in the l'following specication, but it is evident that the same may be varied widely without departing from the scope of theinvention, as pointed out in the appended claims. l y

A structure constituting one embodiment of the invention, which may be the preferred, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in whlch:

Figure I is a side elevational view of a metal wheel embodying the present invention.

Figure II is a fragmentary transverse, sectional view through the metal wheel, taken along the line II-II of Figure'I, and illustrating the formation of the metal discs.

Figure III is a transverse, sectional view, taken along the line III-III of Figure I.

Figure IV is a-transverse sectional view of amodified form of wheel structure, which is similar to Figure III, and discloses an ar- 1919. serial No. 296,401.

rangement ofthe various parts which may be employed inthe construction of front wheels.

In the drawings, similar reference characters-refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the other for the purpose of forming what may be termed spoke portions, which are adapted to add to the strength and rigidity of the structure. Each of the discs is also provided with central openings surrounded by circular channels wlthin which are positioned hub members, while the outerl eripheral edges of the discs are provi ed with annular lianged portions co-operating with each other to form, when in assembled position, channels for the reception of angular brace members-to which the outer edges of the flanged portion are secured and upon the outer surfaces of which, and the outer peripheral portions of the flanges, is secureda rim or felloe band'of the usual construction.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herewith, an inner disc 10 and an outer disc 11 are constructed in a substantially simila-r manner, each of the discs being provided with a central opening formed therein, the inner peripheral edge of the disc 10'bein bent inwardly at 12, as shown in Figure II. The disc 10'is provided with a substantially circular portion 13, surrounding the central opening formed therein, while, in a similar manner, the disc 11 is provided with a similar portion 14, which surrounds the central opening formed therein and registers with the portion 13 of the disc 10 when the discs are properly assembled in position relative to each other. The disc 10 is provided with a plurality of ra-l dially extending outwardly pressed spoke sections 15, which may be pressed out into the same plane as the circular portion 13. The disc 11 is provided in a similar manner with a plurality of radially extending outwardly pressed spoke sections 16 all formed in the disc 11, the spoke sections 15 and 16 the main portion of the disc, and then radially at 18 in a direction substantially parallel with the plane of the disc, and from thence bent inwardly to form peripheral fianges 19, the bent portions 17, 18 and 19 being positioned in such a manner as to provide an annular channel portion 20. The disc 11 is formed in a similar manner to the disc 10 being bent outwardly at 21 and provided with a portion 22 substantially paral- 20 lel to the plane of the disc from which extends an inturned flange 23, the parts 21, 22 and 23 forming a channel 24 which is of similar construction to the channel 20, anfl is adapted to register therewith when the discs 25 10 and 11 are properly positioned with respect to each other. As the radially extending spoke sections 15 and 16 are pressed from the original planes of the discs,portions 25, upon the two discs, remain in the original planes of the discs, and these portions are of similar form and adapted to register with each other when the discs are assembled in such a manner as to provide suitable means for securing the discs together by spot weldin as indlcated at 25.

ositioned -within the annular recess formed by portions 13 and 14 of the discs 10 and 11, is a pressed metal ring 26, one edge of which is adapted to bear against the interior surface of the plate 11, while an angular portion 26 thereof is formed in such a manner as to be parallel with and to bear against the interior surface of the disc 10. The ring 26 is provided with a rounded portion 27 adapted to fit against the inturned rounded portion 12 of the plate 10, and a -portion 28 extends therefrom and fits within the circular opening formed in the center of the disc 11. This ring 26 thus serves as a spacing means for properly spacing the portions 13 and 14 ofthe discs 10 and 11 from each other, and the exterior circumferential surface of this plate is provided with a plurality of transverse channels 29 so positioned as to partially surround openings 30 formed in the portions 13 and 14 of the plates 10 and 11 for the purpose of better supporting these portions of the plate with reference to securing bolts which pass through the registering openings 30 formed in the two discs.

The plate 26 is firmly secured to the discs 10 and 11 by being spot welded thereto as indicated at 31.

A plurality of T-shaped brace members 33,

@5 each of which is provided with a main web portion 34 and a pair of transversely extending flanges 35 adapted to be positioned at substantially right angles with respect to the main web portion 34 are provided for insertion in the registering channels 20 and 24 formed in the peri heral portions of the discs 10 and 11. T e flanged portions 35 of the T-shaped braces rest upon the outwardly extending portions 17 and 21 of the discs 10 and 11 respectively, and are firmly secured thereto by being spot welded to those portions as indicated at 36. Each of the T-shaped brace members is provided with a portion 38 extending beyond the main web portion 34 thereof a suflicient distance so that, when the braces are properly assembled in the channels 20 and 24, the portion 38 is positioned between the adjacent edges of the inturned flanges 19 and 23 and terminates flush with the exterior surface of the flanged portions. A rim or felloe band 40 is positioned upon the outer surface of the peripheral flanges 19 and 23, and is shrunk thereon in such a manner as to bear against the outer surfaces of these flanges and the projecting portions 38 of the T-shaped braces 33.

In the modified form of Wheel structure illustrated in Figure IV, the parts are constructed in a manner similar to those described above except that the out-turned portions 42 of the plate 1() are considerably shorter than the out-turned portions 41 of the plate 11, thus producing a construction wherein the plane 43 of the mating portions of the discs 10 and 11 is offset from the central longitudinal plane of the wheel tread instead of being positioned substantially within the longitudinal center line of the wheel, as illustrated in the modication shown in Figure III.

In the construction of the wheel shown in Figure III, the discs 10 and 11 are pressed into the form shown in the drawings and then assembled in position relative to each other with the ring 2,6 interposed therebetween, the discs 10 and 11 being positioned in such a manner relatively to each other that the radially extending outwardly pressed spoke sections 15 and 16 register with each other, and the ring 26 being so arranged relatively to the discs 10 and 11 that the channels 29 formed therein properly register with the openings 30 formed in the `discs 10 and 11. When assembled in this manner the mating sections 25 of the discs 10 and 11 are in registry and bear against each other and are then secured together by spot welding. The ring 26 being properly positioned relatively to the discs 10 and 11 is securely attached to the discs by being spot welded thereto as indicated above. The discs 10 and 11 being properly secured togetlier in the manner described, the T-shaped braces are positioned within the peripheral channels formed by the external flanges upon the discs and are rotated 90 so that the opposite end portions thereof lie within the registering channels 20 and 24 whereupon the flanged portions 35 of the T-shaped braces are secured to the outwardly extending portions 17 and 21 of the corresponding discs by being spot welded thereto. The tire is then shrunk upon the outer peripheral Asurface of the inturned flanges 19 and 23A of this character are ordinarily subjected.

While I have shown and described in conisiderable Adetail a specific embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood fthat this showing and description is illustrative only,-

and for the purpose of rendering my 1nvention more clear, and that I do not re gard the invention as limited to the details of construction illustrated or described, nor

any of them, except in so far as I have included such limitation within the terms of the following claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention broadly as well as specifically.

. What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a metal wheel, the combination of a pair of sheet metal discs provided with registering radial ribs and peripheral channels, the central portions of the disc being offset and spaced from each other, the portions of said discs between said ribs being secured together in contact with each other, a channel spacing ring positioned between said discs with the base of the channel contacting and integrally secured to the central portion of one of said discs, and a rim mounted on the side walls of said peripheral channels. l

2. In a metal wheel, a pair of sheet metal discs provided with registering radial ribs and registering peripheral channels, a spac- -ing member formed of sheet metal and interposed between the metal discs at the hub and a plurality of T-shaped braces positioned within the peripheral channels of the iscs.

3. In a metal wheel, a pair of sheet metal discs provided with registering radial ribs and cooperating contacting portions spotwelded together, a channel-shaped sheet metal spacing ring interposed at the hub between the sheet metal discs and disposed with the base of the channel contacting with and secured to one of .said discs, flanges formed upon the peripheral edges of the disc and a rim positioned upon said flanges.

4. In a metal wheel, a pair of sheet metal discs provided with registering radial rib's and co-operating mating portionsadapted to be spot welded together, flanges formed upon the peripheral edges of the discs to provide channels, braces positioned within the channels vthus formed, and a rim positioned upon the peripheral flanges and the outer portions of the braces.

5. In a metal wheel, a palr of sheet metal discs provided with registering radial ribs and co-operating mating portions and having central openings formed therein, the said discs being spot welded together, flanges formed upon the peripheral edges of the discs in such a manner as to provide channels, transverse braces positioned within the channels, and a rim positioned upon the peripheral flanges and the outer portions of the braces.

6. A method'of making metal wheels including the following steps: assembling a pair of sheet metal discs provided with peripheral flanges in such a manner that cooperating mating portions of the metal discs are in contact and registry, spot welding the sheet metal discs to each other, positioning brace members upon the peripheral flanges, and spot welding said braces to the peripheral flanges.

7. A method of making metal wheels including the following steps: assembling a pair of sheet metal discs provided with peripheral flanges in such a manner that cooperating mating portions of the metal discs are in contact and registry, spot welding the sheet metal discs to each other, positioning brace members upon the peripheral flanges, spot welding said braces to the peripheral flanges and mounting a rim upon the brace members.

8. In a wheel structure, the'c'ombination of a pair of metal discs, each having the central portion struck out of the plane of said discs and having a plurality of ribs struck out of the plane of the disc and extending radially from said central portion, the peripheral portions of said discs bein struck out to form annular channels, sai discs being assembled and connected together withthe surfaces between said ribs in contact, reinforcing members seated trans( nels and a rim carried by the peripheries of said discs.

10. In a wheel structure, the combination A of a pair of metal discs, each having a central portion struck out of the plane of the disc and having a plurality of ribs extending radially from said central portion, Said discs being assembled and connected together vwith the surfaces between said ribs in contact, a sheet metal channel-shaped spacing ring interposed between the central portions of said discs with the base of the channel contacting with and secured to one o'f said central portions, and a rim peripherally carried by said discs.

11. In a Wheel structure, the combination of a pair of metal discs each having the central portion struck out of the plane of the disc and having a plurality of ribs extending radially from said central portion, said discs being assembled and connected together with the surfaces between sai-d ribs in contact, a spacing ring of channel-shaped crosssection interposed between the central por` tions of said discs with the base of said ring against one of said discs, and a rim carried by the peripheries of said discs.

12. The method of making wheels including the following steps: forming a pair of wheel discs each with a central portion struck out of the plane of the disc, welding a spacing ring to the central portion of one of said discs, welding thecentral portion of the other disc to said ring, welding said discs together with the surface of the major portions thereof in contact, mounting a rim on the peripheries of said discs.

13. The method of making metal wheels including the following steps: forming a pair of metal discs each having a central portion and radially extending ribs struck out of the plane of said disc, assembling a ring of channel-sha ed cross-section with its base in contact Wit the central portion of the first disc, welding said base to said central portion, assembling the said discs with the surfaces of the discs between the ribs in contact With each other, welding the second disc to said ring, welding said mating surfaces together, and mounting a rim on the peripheries ofsaid discs.

14. The method of making metal wheels including the following steps: forming a pair of metal discs each having its peripheral portion struck out to form an annular channel, connecting said discs together with the surfaces of their major portions in contact, positioning a plurality of transverse reinforcing pieces in said channels, welding said pieces thereto, mounting a rim on the peripheries of said discs.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

EMiL iBAoH'. 

